Overview
- The Kennedy Center removed President Trump’s name from its website and YouTube page on Monday as part of steps to comply with a federal court order.
- U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper ruled on May 29 that the center’s 1964 statute names it for John F. Kennedy and only Congress can change that name, and he temporarily blocked the board’s planned two-year closure for renovations.
- Kennedy Center staff received a memo from the general counsel directing immediate changes to email signatures and letterhead and requiring signage, templates and website pages to be updated by the court-imposed June 12 deadline.
- Trump’s name still appears on the building exterior and on some social accounts, and the center has said it will evaluate legal options and likely appeal while fundraising and programming tied to the renovation remain in flux.
- The dispute grew from a February 2025 board overhaul and a December vote to add Trump’s name after Rep. Joyce Beatty sued, and the judge’s decision may limit how presidentially influenced boards can alter federally created memorials.